A Cross River woman from Yala local government, Philomena Odama has accused one Usman Adamu of murdering Joy, her daughter, in the name of funding her university education.
In a cry for justice note written by Odama, men of the Nigerian police were also accused of shielding Joy’s alleged killer from the law.
“Joy Odama is my first daughter. She is a 200 level undergraduate of Mass Communications at the Cross River State University; who just returned for Christmas holidays and met her untimely death,” Philomena Odama narated in the appeal.
“On the 18th Dec, 2016, one Elizabeth from Ogoja LGA, Cross River State who is my daughters friend visited us and told Joy to accompany her to see one Alhaji Usman Adamu who she said was a philanthropist that gives scholarship to young students. She said the Alhaji lives in the same neighborhood, precisely at Ibro Quarters, Old Karmo-Abuja.
“Knowing Elizabeth as a long time friend and without any suspicion, she innocently followed her to the said Alhaji’s house. On getting there, my daughter called me that the Alhaji wants to see me. I asked why and she said that the Alhaji wants to help her with her education with other girls who lives in the neighborhood who are there with their parents. I quickly got to the house and Alhaji Usman Adamu promised to help in my daughters education and equally promised to get me a job with the Nigerian Security & Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC). We exchanged numbers, I graciously thanked him and left with my daughter.”
Philomina noted that two days later on the December 20, 2016 in the evening, Alhaji Usman Adamu called her daughter and said his house help is seriously sick and that she should please come and look after her while he goes to get a doctor.
She said: “He also said he has called other girls (i.e the other girls we saw in his house the previous day). Joy told me and i allowed her to go. That was the last time i saw my daughter alive.
“After a while on the same day, i called Joy and she said she was at the house with the other girls and will soon be coming back. About an hour later, when she was not yet back, I called severally but she did not pick. Out of curiosity, I called Alhaji Usman Adamu on his number 08179606208 but he too did not pick. I became more worried and went to the house but couldn’t gain access to Alhaji’s apartment. The next morning, I called Joy and Alhaji Adamu several times to no avail. Eventually, Alhaji Adamu picked his call and to my surprise, he pretended not to know who I was nor who Joy was. When I pressed further he said ” did anything happen to Joy” as if she does not know where she is. At this point I knew all was not well.”
Thereafter, the issue was reported to the police. Then Nkem Raphael, divisional police officer (DPO) of Karmo police station, informed her that Joy had died and he allegedly threatened her not to make any case.
“On getting to the police station, the DPO informed us that all the girls that went to Alhaji’s house are all unconscious; that one is not responding to treatment while the others are responding. We requested to see Joy but we were turned down and asked to come back the next day,” she said.
“The next day I went back to the police station in the company of relatives and a lawyer who is a close family friend. To my utter shock, I was told that my daughter was dead and had been taken to the mortuary.
“We asked to know how, why and what led to Joy’s death and the DPO declined further comments. Our lawyer asked if the Alhaji had been arrested but he bluntly told us that as far he was concerned, Alhaji was not culpable, no crime had been committed, that my daughter died a natural death and he cannot arrest Usman Adamu.
“He told the lawyer to take the matter to his superiors but that he had already informed them about the matter and as far as they were concerned, Alhaji could not be arrested.
Philomina said the DPO directed her to the Federal Medical Center, Airport road, Abuja, where he said her daughter’s corpse was deposited.
“When we asked why my daughter’s body was embalmed without our knowledge, one of the attendants confided in us that Usman Adamu first brought the dead body in the early hours of December 21, claiming to be the father of the girl,” she said.
“But on seeing the body, they suspected foul play and insisted that they will not admit the body until they see a police or doctor’s report.
“He left and came back with Nkem Raphael, the DPO, who ordered them to immediately embalm the body. We also discovered that the other girls the DPO claimed were on admission in the hospital were not there.”
Odama said when she went back to the station, she met Martha, one of the girls who was supposed to meet Adamu, but could not make it on the day he called her.
“Martha explained how she was not able to visit the man on that day, and how she went the next day,” Odama said.
“She said she saw my daughter lying lifeless on the floor and the other girls were stooling and vomiting. She became afraid and tried to run out of the house but Alhaji and some [persons] inside the house held her back and brought her to the police station.
“When I was about asking her further questions, some policemen shouted at her to stop talking and whisked her away.”
Odama said she inquired from the DPO why her child was embalmed without her consent, but that he reiterated his initial position and “bluntly told us not to pursue this case further, that he would advise us to dialogue with Usman Adamu for our daughter’s burial.
“He insisted that he had nothing more to do with us until we agreed to meet with the Alhaji.”
She said reluctantly she agreed to meet with the man and on the fixed date, but that she went with a lawyer.
“We were at the police station with our lawyer but on sighting the lawyer, the DPO lied that the meeting had been postponed. When the lawyer asked why, he said that the Alhaji was not around and that his number is not connecting, that he will call the lawyer and inform her of the next date for the meeting.
When the lawyer asked why, he said that the Alhaji was not around and that his number was not connecting, that he would call the lawyer and inform her of the next date of the meeting.
“Immediately the lawyer left, the DPO quickly called us inside his office and we were so surprised to see Usman Adamu sitting right there. The DPO told us to put off our phones and drop it on his desk, that he does not want the meeting to be recorded. In attendance was the DPO and Michael Obiora, a police inspector.
“TheDPO was the first to speak. He said if we knew what was good for us, we should agree to whatever the Alhaji will offer us and desist from further pursuing this matter. Adamu then offered to settle the matter with N300,000 and we became infuriated, and there after which we briefed the lawyer.
“The lawyer insisted that further investigation be carried out. The DPO again called for a second meeting where we met with Umoru Usman Shehu; an assistant inspector general of police in charge of intelligence at force headquarters.
“Umoru told us bluntly also that investigation in this matter had been closed and could not be reopened. He asked Adamu to add an additional N100,000 to his initial offer but Adamu told us harshly that, that was the best he could do and that it was his final decision.
“At this point, apparently sensing the threat in his tone, a family friend present called us aside and advised that we collect the money to give them a false belief that we had agreed to their terms while we go home and think of the next line of action, including having it as an exhibit.”
Odama said it was obvious that Adamu had people in high places within the Nigerian police force “and have connived with them to deny our poor family justice”.
Philomina Odama appealed for the intervention of the federal government, begging the government to stop Adamu’s killings which she claimed has been going on for a while.
